


Clashing

by iduna



Series: Whose Stupid Idea Was This, Anyway? [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anger, Arguing, Awkward Conversations, Snark, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 12:56:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15707661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iduna/pseuds/iduna
Summary: A dinner with the advisers goes wrong.I suck at summaries.





	Clashing

**Author's Note:**

> Life, writer's block, and a really bad case of impostor syndrome gets in my way. I'm working on it. Anyway, have fun reading about how Carys is just kinda done with this shit, Leliana makes some money, and Cullen is smarter than he looks.

“I am not a Loyalist, Vivienne. I never was. You know what they say about people that assume.” Carys Trevelyan sat across the table from the First Enchanter. Her hands were tucked neatly in her lap, and unlike the others in attendance, she didn’t even look at the food on her plate. She wasn’t interested in sharing a meal with these people. Lady Montilyet made it clear that her presence was mandatory, but she couldn’t force her to eat. 

“Yes, My Dear,” replied the older mage, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I am aware of that vulgar expression. It isn’t necessary to repeat it.”

“Vulgar it may be, Vivienne, but it is still true. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a Loyalist.” Carys smiled, rather bitterly, before continuing. “As far as I’m concerned, the Chantry can rot. It’s done nothing but oppress people. It looks the other way as elves are starving and abused in the Alienages. It excludes everyone but the rich from positions of power and does everything it can to maintain the status quo. When Chevaliers rampage through cities, murdering elves, it looks the other way, and it did nothing when Loghain MacTir and his horrible daughter sold elves to Tevinter during the Blight. I won’t even start to talk about the Circles and slavery of mages.”

Vivienne, First Enchanter of the Circle in Montsimmard, Enchanter to her Imperial Majesty sighed, attempting to feign patience. “My Dear, there are always going to be abuses in any large organization. Those abuses do not negate the good the Chantry does, and even you must admit that the Circle is necessary to keeping both mages and citizens safe from malificar, abominations, and blood mages. Mages are not slaves, My Dear. We are not slaves and the Circles are not prisons. Shame on you for spreading such lies, you should know better.”

“Do mages receive compensation for their work, Vivienne? Are we allowed to come and go as we please? Are our lives our own? Can we marry, have children, find happiness in the ordinary ways that other people do? The answer is no, and you’re aware of it.” She lifted her head, squared her shoulders, and looked Madame directly in the eyes. “Of course, your life has been different. Most of us don’t get out of the Circles by fucking nobles. Perhaps if Bastien de Ghislain’s bed had been larger, more mages would have survived the White Spire.” 

The reaction around the dinner table was all that Carys could have hoped for. Madame de Fer’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth, quivering there for several seconds as she collected herself. Lady Montilyet gasped loudly, Seeker Pentaghast and the Commander looked shocked. Only the Nightingale didn’t seem fazed. She hid a smile behind her wine glass as she took a sip. 

Carys pushed her chair from the table and started to rise. Ever the gentleman, the Commander stood and moved to assist her. “Commander, please, don’t trouble yourself.”

The Herald of Andraste turned slightly and spoke to the Ambassador. “Lady Montilyet, please excuse me. I’m afraid that I have a bit of a headache, and that my presence will make the rest of your dinner less amiable.” 

Nodding to the rest of the dinner party, Carys turned and left the room. 

 

The door shut quietly after the Herald’s departure, and silence loomed. Everyone at the table, save the Spymaster, stared at their plates, afraid to look up, terrified to see the horror on each other’s faces. 

“Well,” Leliana lilted. “That was interesting. Cullen, can you please pass the salt cellar?” 

Silently, Cullen gave the requested item to the woman sitting next to him. When he met her eyes, he saw a twinkle of amusement and a spark of knowledge behind them. He was still mortified that he saw and heard what he did, but there was some hope here. Did the Spymaster know something he didn’t? 

Stupid question… Of course she did. 

“Thank you, Cullen.” Turning to the woman on her right, Leliana continued. “Madame, can I get you anything? Wine, bread… Crow??” 

Vivienne refused to even acknowledge Leliana’s jab. Slowly, carefully, she continued to eat, trying to figure out how things had gotten so out of hand. How did she misjudge the situation so disastrously? She needed the influence of the Inquisition, now that the Circles were no longer in place, and she needed the Herald on her side. 

On her side, in awe, afraid… Any or all would do. Her previous conversations with the Herald had gone so well. Certainly, Carys had seemed reasonable. 

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised that you got bit, Vivienne. Poking even the tamest animals will provoke them, and the Herald of Andraste is not tame.” 

Leliana sipped her wine and looked at Vivienne with a smile. “Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that. Well, at least I’m 10 sovereigns richer. Varric is going to be furious.”

Josephine looked at her best friend, then kicked her under the table. “Did you really make a bet on the Herald? Leili, how could you?”

Putting down the wine glass and popping a morsel of bread into her mouth, Leliana replied. “Of course I did. There is the cutest pair of slippers at Madame Torche’s shop. Red silk… “ 

“You risked the Inquisition for some shoes?” Slamming down her fork, Cassandra stood and crossed her arms. “Leliana, how irresponsible could you be? We need to stand together, not look for ways to attack each other.”

“Amusing, coming from you Cassandra. The first words out of your mouth to the Herald was a question about when you should kill her. Nevertheless, I did nothing but place a wager on the inevitable. Honestly, I thought it would take another day or two before Vivienne said something stupid enough to provoke her. Varric thought it wouldn’t happen until they were on the road somewhere. I’m so glad he was wrong.”

With nimble fingers, Leliana split a roll and dabbed butter on it, before taking a delicate bite. Then, she sighed. “You all seem to be under the impression that the Herald of Andraste is a house pet of some sort. I can guarantee that she isn’t. She doesn’t trust us, and only does as we ask because she doesn’t see a choice. She believes that she’s a prisoner, not an ally.”

“It was made clear to her that she had a choice. Join us or no, it was up to her.” Cassandra narrowed her eyes and skewered Leliana with a glare. “She chose to aid us, she wasn’t forced.”

“Oh, Cassandra. I knew that Josie was a bit naïve, but I never thought you were. She chose to help us because she thought that her other option was being forced to. She chose relative freedom instead of a cage. Maker’s Breath, it’s as clear as the nose on your face. Why can’t you see it?”

Resting her hands in her lap and taking a breath, the Spymaster continued. “She thinks you go with her to keep her from running. All the measures we’ve taken for her safety are, to her, limits on her freedom. She thinks we tricked her into this and made her Herald so that she cannot escape. In her eyes, we are still the Chantry, and are the enemy. Make no doubt about that.”

“She’s not wrong, Cassandra.” Cullen put his fork down and sighed. “She’s afraid and compliant, not friendly. Leliana said she wasn’t tame, and she’s right. She’s feral. She made the choice because it was the lesser of the two evils she saw. It never occurred to her that there was the option of saying no. and she’s not going back into a Circle.” 

Leliana looked at Cullen, glad that at least he saw the obvious. 

Leliana took over where Cullen left off. “I don’t know what she’s thinking. She’s very hard to read, but I do know that it isn’t anything kind. We need her, and not just to close the Breach. If we don’t do something now, as soon as it’s closed, she’s going to run. Closing the Breach is only the beginning of our job, and you know it as well as I.”

Finally finding her voice, Vivienne spoke. “I suppose, My Dear, that you have a suggestion, and that you’re not just trying to look knowledgeable?”

Leliana smirked knowingly. She knew exactly the tune Vivienne wanted to hear, and like any good bard, would play it when she was good and ready. 

“Of course, Madame. I always have a plan, it’s my job. I would suggest that you stay well clear of her for now. It’s obvious that you and the Herald are not seeing anything eye to eye. I’m certain that when they leave for the Storm Coast, you and Josie can manage the nobles together. She can be nice, and you can whack them with your staff if they get out of line.”

“I am an accomplished mage, Nightingale. I’m certain that travelling with the Herald…”

Cullen intervened, “Would likely be more miserable than the weather, Madame. I am certain that you could be of great help magically, of course. You will also be likely to, how can I say this delicately, piss her off more. That would be harmful in the long run. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Leliana was impressed but hid it well. Cullen’s ability to handle difficult situations was surprising, but welcome. Of course, he had experience in managing egos, it had to have been difficult juggling Orsino and Meredith. Toss Hawke and Elthina into that mix, and the potential for disaster grew exponentially. How he and Aveline had kept that keg from exploding before it did was impressive. Cassandra chose better than she knew. 

Snapping her attention back to the situation at hand, Leliana took the reigns of the conversation. 

“Cassandra, on the upcoming trip, if you could give Carys a bit more space. Varric said that you were a tad smothering in the Hinterlands. I understand that you are concerned for her safety, but if you could balance that with a bit more, shall we say, trust in her ability to care for herself, we might be better served. We want her to know that her safety is our concern. Nothing more.”

Making a noise that was familiar to most in the room, Cassandra agreed. “I shall do my best. I will act if I feel she is in danger, but I will try not to… hover. That is acceptable to you?

Smiling, Leliana said, “More than acceptable, Cassandra. I’m sure you will do very well. 

“I am going to try to talk to her myself. I have the things that were found at the Breach, and I’ll return them to her tonight. Perhaps that will give me a chance to build a bridge. We can fix this if we stop stomping around like druffalo.” 

“What would you like me to do?” Josie asked. 

Pouring more wine into her glass, Leliana smiled. 

“How is your supply of Antivan Chocolates? I understand that the lady has quite a sweet tooth. Perhaps tea?”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to get to some funny stuff, I swear. My life is angsty right now, and you, tender readers, get to pay the price. Anyway, I hope you liked pissy Carys. Leave a kudo as you walk out the door. Maybe even a comment. It really does help. I want to thank IncreasingLight and theCelticMyst for helping me deal with my feelings of incompetence. You are both the best.


End file.
